Soapside: 's Guide to Daytime

BY Michael Fairman

July 02 2010 1:55 PM ET

Is Phillip Chancellor III coming back from the Outback to Genoa City?

Greg in Hollywood posted Thursday that he talked to The Young and the Restless co-executive producer Paul Rauch on the Daytime Emmy red carpet. After expressing his disappointment of the fizzled return of Phillip Chancellor III, played by out actor Thom Bierdz (pictured), he asked the head honcho what is up with the lack of gay story in Genoa City. Rauch retorted, “Maybe you should keep looking at the show ... July might be a good time. We won’t disappoint you.” Then, in an e-mail to all his colleagues and his professional mailing list, Bierdz said, “I can’t comment on that.” We are hearing some major rumblings that there could be some changes afloat with the Chancellor family by the end of the summer. Stay tuned!Vote in Adonis 2010!

It’s week 5 of the Soaphunks.net Adonis 2010 competition. Last week The Young and the Restless’s Daniel Goddard (Cane) was kicked off “hunk” island, leaving eight castaways. And they are: B&B’s Brandon Beemer (Owen), General Hospital’s Brandon Barash (Johnny) and Dominic Zamprogna (Dante), Days’ Shawn Christian (Daniel), James Scott (EJ), and Galen Gering (Rafe), One Life to Live’s David Gregory (Ford), and ATWT’s Jake Silbermann (Noah). You can vote today for your favorite pair of pecs, six-pack abs, and all-around smoldering good looks now through July 6. The contestant who receives the fewest number of votes at the end of the voting period will be eliminated from the contest. You may vote once per day per e-mail & IP address. “Francophrenia!” James Franco is back on GH with his mom Betsy in tow!

On today’s episode of General Hospital, Jason and Dante go searching for Franco’s mother, Karen Anderson. Only when they open the door, Karen looks a lot like actor James Franco’s real-life mother — because it is! Betsy Franco joins the cast of the soap for several episodes, where we learn more about the obsessed artist Franco’s past. And what of his bizarre attraction to mob hit man Jason Morgan? Well, you will just have to keep watching. Faithful fans are promised a culmination of all story arcs when Franco’s art exhibit “Francophrenia” has its opening at WeHo’s own MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) at the Pacific Design Center. In the meantime, check out my new interview with Mr. Franco, conducted with the motion picture and now soap star just two days ago.